Blazing Crystal (Revised Version)

Chapter 31: Mini-Vacations

Chapter 31: Mini-Vacations

(Crystal POV)

"You're straining... I told you not to go so fast."

I gasped and dropped the water back into the pond. Sweat beaded down my forehead, and my arms burned like crazy. Without hesitating, I moved my hand forward again and lifted the water into the air with one hand.

"Concentrate," Katara said. "Don't think about your other hand. Use only one."

I tried my best to concentrate, but Katara's words kept replaying in my head distracting me.

Why does she make this look so easy?!

"Come on Crystal. Just a little higher. You're so close!"

I tried to lift the water more, but my hand cramped up and I lost control. Dropping the water again, I rubbed my hand over my brows trying to wipe off the perspiration. "I think I'm going to go back to the last move," I muttered. "I can't get this one."

"One more time," Katara encouraged. She stepped closer, and I could see her kind smile from the corner of my eyes. "You can do it!"

Letting out a heavy sigh, I looked back at the water before me. We'd been at it for an hour, and I still couldn't lift a stream of water higher than two of me combined. I could do it fine with two hands manipulating the molecules, but using only one hand was much more difficult. When Katara did it twenty minutes ago, she made it look like the easiest move in the world. I wanted so much to be like her. I was such an amateur compared to her skills.

"Fine... One more time..."

Holding my hand out towards the water again, I slowly lifted my hand up and made the molecules follow my movements. As I lifted my hand slowly, the water followed. I breathed in and out in slow motions. As the water began to stream up past my head, I felt my arm strain again but I kept going. I felt thrilled as I moved the water higher and higher, and I wondered if I would actually succeed. I was so close...

"Crystal! Katara!"

I gasped and dropped the water, my hand falling to my side as I twirled around to look at the interrupter. Aang dropped down in front of us, shutting his glider as he did.

"Aang... What's wrong?"

Katara jumped to conclusions, and I stared back at the water with defeat.

I'll try again another day...

"I want to show you both something! I was going to just show Toph and Sokka, but I decided you two would like it as well." He reached forward and grabbed Katara's hand. "Let's go before it's too late." As he pulled Katara off, I sighed heavily and glanced at the water one last time.

One day I'll be stronger...

"Crystal! Come on!"

Aang's call made me turn around and follow after him and my sister. When we got back to where the others were, I saw Appa was taking his nap still. The poor guy had been flying us for a few hours now, and I knew he was exhausted. Momo chattered as he stood in the middle of an empty space surrounded by a bunch of holes.

"Okay! Everyone stand back and watch!" Aang took a seat cross-legged on the dirt, and pulled something out from inside his shirt. I noticed it was a flute carved from wood. It reminded me of the flute Ku played on Zuko's ship during music night.

My brother looked at the holes in the ground puzzled. "What's out here?"

Toph spoke up as she knelt to the ground and placed her palm on the dirt. "A lot actually... There's hundreds of little-"